The cost-of-living crisis leaves Rotherham businesses more stressed than ever

Business owners in Rotherham are being impacted by the cost-of-living crisis – but not in the ways you might expect.

While business costs are rising, so are the stress levels of employees, which is causing big problems with absence, loss of productivity, and declining mental health.

Business owners are being warned to spot early signs of stress in employees to protect their wellbeing, as well as their company.

Laura Reilly owns and runs Taurus HR Solutions. She said, “Stress is always a problem for businesses – it’s the biggest cause of long-term employee absence.

“But the cost-of-living crisis is hitting people hard, and understandably it’s causing stress levels to go through the roof.

“Businesses may not be in a position to increase salaries right now, so they might feel stuck about how they can help their employees at this time.”

Laura advises business owners to look at other helpful ways they can support employees and reduce stress levels.

She said: “Helping your employees protect their mental health and wellbeing doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

“Encourage conversations about mental health and make sure your team know you’re always available to talk about any issues they may be facing. Simply asking people how they are can go a long way, too.

“You can prevent additional stress by encouraging people to take regular breaks during the working day, and ward off burnout by making sure everyone takes their annual leave, regardless of whether they’re going on holiday or not.

“There are also some low-cost perks you could provide to boost mental health and wellbeing, such as subsidised gym memberships, online counselling apps, or even arranging stress management workshops in working hours.”

She added, “Often issues are made worse when people feel like they have no-one to turn to for advice.

“Providing everyone with the details of charities that provide support with issues such as debt can be a big help too.”

For a short time, Laura is offering local business owners a free 30-minute phone or online consultation to help promote better mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

To book yours, simply visit www.taurushr.co.uk or book directly here: https://calendly.com/laura-taurushr/complimentary-30-minutes-with-laura-hr-support

Taurus HR Solutions offers an outsourced range of affordable HR services to local businesses.